Bottle carrier



March .1 1952 R. w. STEVENSON BOTTLE CARRIER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Oct. 19, 1948 b 0 j m 3 3 0 1 if: V a M o o M/ 4 0 o o D/OQVVOD @O m 0 0 A o a O) O O O o s/ @509 o o c o f o O Q76 @w 0 o o o o. \zo Q @V o .o T o. J o PQC JC A Q V o 09 luvsm'oz RALPH W. S'reveusou Mar 1952 R. w. STEVENSON BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Oct. 19, 1948 I 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 lnvem'oa RALPHW. STEVENSON Patented Mar. 18. 1952 7 BOTTLE CARRIER Ralph W. Stevenson, Grand Rapids, Mich., as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to Metal Carrier Corporation, Grand Rapids, Mich., acorporation of Michigan Application October 19, 1948,- Serial No. 55,344

2 Claims. 7 1

My invention relates to a bottle carrier adapted to retain a plurality of bottles for transportation or storage and a separator for use therein.

Bottle carriers form convenient devices in which to transport and store bottles such as soft drink bottles and the like. However, for this purpose the carrier must be sufficiently strong to withstand rough handling without damage, and at the same time must be capable of protecting the contained bottles from the shocks and blows incident to handling. Moreover, it is desirable that the carrier be of an attractive sanitary appearance and, in addition, be readily cleaned.

In accordance with the present invention, an improved bottle carrier having defiectable separators is provided. Each of these separators is defined by a pair of resilient sheet members mounted in face-to-face relation and having spaced dished-out portions adapted to bear against transverse unyielding members to define bottle receiving compartments having yielding sides.

It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide an improved bottle carrier capable of withstanding the shocks and blows incident to use without damaging the bottles contained therein.

Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved bottle carrier in which the compartment in defining elements are snugly held in position but are nevertheless capable of deflecting movements under the impact of the bottles.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved separator construction for use in a bottle carrier.

A bottle carrier having features of construction similar to that of the present application is described in my copending application entitled Bottle Carrier filed October 11, 1948, S. N. 53,773 and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention, itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing a bottle carrier constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a pair of carriers like that of Figure 1 in stacked relationship;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional. View through the axis 3-3, Figure l;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through the axis 4--4, Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view through the axis 5--5, Figure 1; 1

Figure 6 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary broken view showing the upper edge portion of the wall of the carrier adjacent the handles;

and

Figure I'is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view through the axis l-l, Figure 2.

Referring now to Figure 1, the carrierof th present invention includes a bottom III of sheet aluminum alloy or the like and surrounded by a wall defined by sides I and ends 2. A plurality of separators indicated generally at S extend longitudinally of the carrier to define a plurality of bottle-receiving rows. Struts l8 surrounded by spaced sleeves l9 extend transversely ofthe separators to define a plurality of bottle-receiving compartments, each adapted to receive one bottle.

The separators S are each formed from a pair of resilient sheet. members l3, such as ,thin aluminum alloy sheets. These are mounted in face-to-face relationship and are affixed to each other by spaced holes formed in one sheet which receives the 'crimned over edge portions l5, Figures 4 and 5, of the other sheet. The sheets l3 are further formed with spaced complementary dished-out portions I4 in the regions intermediate the adjacent bottle-receiving compartments. These dished-out portions of each separator are transversely aligned with the dished-out portions of the others as shown in Figure 1. .As will be described in further detail hereafter, these dished-out portions provide resilient support for the separators and permit the same tomove under the impact of blows associated with shocks towhich the carrier is subjected. 7

Each separator S is provided with an opening or aperture in each region M to receive a transversely orientated strut l8. These struts extend between the sides I of the carrier and are anchored to the opposite sides by the crimped or headed end portions I8a, Figure 5, which define heads engageable against the opposite sides I to prevent shifting movement of each strut relative to the carrier. When the struts shift in one direction one set of heads l8a engages the corresponding sidewall I and when the struts shift in the opposite direction the other set of heads I8a engages the'other side wall I. The struts I 8 are preferably of hollow'construction as indicated at Figure 5 to provide maximum rigidity for minimum weight. Intermediate between each pair of adjacent separators and between each end separator and the adjacent side wall I, the struts l8 receive sleeves [9. Each of these sleeve-s bottoms against the adjacent separators or against the adjacent wall and thereby oppositeends v2 of the carrier. openingsis.v defined by an oval shaped flanged portion 8 formed in the corresponding end 2 and -which-receives the sleeve 9.

Figure 5, and thereby anchoring the bottom of each separator against shifting and tilting move- 1mjents relative to the bottom 10.

While the separators S are snugly heldin position,-they are nevertheless capable of yielding movements in response to the impact of bottles "when-the carrier is struck from the side. This results from the resiliency of the dished-out por- -t ions M of each separator, which portions are snugly seated against the adjacent sleeves I9 and permit yielding movements of the separators by flexure of the-walls of these dished-out portions.

The upper edge of the side walls .1 and the end walls 2 is reinforced by the steel rods 5,. Figure 5,

located therein. These rods are each of lJ-shaped form with their end portions received in the :sleeves I. As shown at Figure 6, the end portions of the rods 5 are. in spaced relationship relative each other, thus permitting theopposite sides Alto deflect relative to each other without tending-to collapse the reinforcing rods.

The bottom of the side walls I and end walls '2 receive a reinforcing rod 6 at their bottom por tion and in these regions are bent over at 4,

Figure 5, to receive this rod.

- Hand openings H, Figure 3, are formed in the Each of these Each sleeve 9 is crimpedover the end portion 9a, Figure 3, to be snugly held in position.

The .wall defining sides I and ends 2 is formed of .a single sheet of metal, such as aluminum alloy, which is held together at the portion aligned .with one of the handles H as shownin Figure 2. As shown in the enlarged view of Figure 7,.this sheet is overlapped to define overlapping portions 2a and 21). An opening is formed in the portion 2b, Figure 7, and portion 2a, crimped thereover at [2a to secure th wall in position. In The bottom 10 has an upwardly extending skirt portion H which extends above the level of the openings l2 formed in the sides, and ends of the carrier. The sides and ends are cut out at these bp'enings and receive the crimped over portions of the skirt II as shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5. These 'crimped over portions of the skirt H are snugly held in the openings-and thereby sustain therbottom 10 in fixed position relative tothe sides and ends of the carrier.

,The'bottomis further formed with a plurality of openings l.0b, Figures 1 and 2, which are slightly smaller diameter than the caps of the "bottles B, Figure 2. These rest on the rims of th eaps of the bottles of the next lower case to Iflb are embossed upwardly as thereby holding the successive carriers in a stack against shifting movements relative to each other.

While I have shown and. described a specific embodiment of my invention, it will, of course, be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications and alternative constructions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I therefore intend by the appended claims to cover all such modifications. and alternative constructions as 'fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What'I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1..In..a..bottle.carrier of the type having a bottom andawall surrounding said bottom to provide .a bottle-receiving basket, a plurality of separators extending in one direction in said .carrier toprovide'a plurality of bottle-receiving rows, said separators being anchored to. said bottomand in spaced relationship with said wall,

-said separators further having aligned strutreceiving openings adjacent their-upper edges, struts anchored relative to the wall of said carvrier and received in said openings, said struts .being oriented substantially transversely of said separators to provide a plurality of bottle-receiving compartments, said separators having complementary resilient dished-out portions surrounding said openings, and sleeves disposed about said struts in the regions between said separators and between the end separators and said wall and snugly seated vagainst the same. said sleeves bottoming against the dished-out portions of the separators.

2. In 'a' bottle carrier of the type having a bottom and a wall surrounding said bottom to provide a bottle-receiving basket, a plurality of separators extending in one direction in said carrier to provide a plurality'of bottle-receiving rows and anchored to said bottom, said separators having aligned strut-receiving openings adjacent their upper edges, struts in said carrier received in said openings and oriented substantially transversely of said separators to provide a plurality of bottle-receiving compartments, said separators having complementary resilient dished-out portions surrounding said openings, and sleeves disposed about said struts in the regions between said separators and snugly seated against the same, said sleeves bottoming against the dished-out portions of the'separators.

RALPH W. STEVENSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

